Green is my favourite colour
by carrowfly
Summary: Dr. Harleen Quinzel met Poison Ivy seconds before she met the Joker. Just what happened in their sessions before she became the clown princes Queen, Harley Quinn? "Don'cha know green's my favourite colour?"


Dr. Penelope Young marched into Dr. Quinzel's office, bursting through the door without so much as knocking. No wonder she isn't popular in the tearoom. Harley mused, peering up from her notepad at the intrusion. "How did you get Ivy?" The brunette demanded to know, her eyes flashing with a disturbing anger behind her fringe.

With a sigh, the blonde pressed her fingers to her temples, letting the more senior doctor stew in silence for a moment as she urged herself not to snap in response. That's all Penelope wanted. She knew Harley had a temper and she'd tried countless times to pop her light-hearted, bubble-gum disposition. Not today sweetheart.

Harley's morning had been rather trying before now. It was Tuesday which meant her first session of the day was with Edward Nygma and his infernal riddles. The man was a difficult enough patient to deal with on a normal day as he never allowed a session to begin without his doctor first answering a puzzle. 9am was usually a little too early for Harley to enjoy that kind of brain teaser yet she had succeeded for the past 6 months.

Today however, was his Birthday and he'd decided to celebrate at Harley's expense. He said he'd wanted to play a game with her and stupidly she'd agreed to participate. Edward had told her that the answer to his latest challenge was hidden within the Gotham Gazette crosswords from the past week. Harley was not good at crosswords.

"Poison Ivy?" She asked in a terse tone. If Penelope wanted answers from her, she better ask her a properly formed question. Harley was tired of riddles.

"Yes." Penelope hissed baring her teeth, as if that much was obvious. Harleen bristled at her tone. Even though Dr. Quinzel had been working at Arkham for the past couple of years following a rather successful stint at Blackgate prison, Dr. Young treated her like she was incompetent. Penelope refused to give her a break or any credit for her skill as a psychiatrist.

Dr. Young was a narcissistic bitch. Harleen often wondered how the woman had passed her own psyche evaluation that was a mandatory part of the accreditation process at Arkham.

"When was she been apprehended?" Harleen replied coolly, folding her arms.

"She was brought in this morning." Penelope replied, inspecting her nails. "As your patient you already ought to know that."

Harleen shifted the sleeve of her white coat and checked her watch. It was barely 11am, Poison Ivy would still be in processing. "Looks like I have a patient to meet then."

Penelope cleared her throat expectantly. "Excuse me. You never answered my question." Penelope was really trying the blonde's patience. Harley was really starting to detest this woman.

"Well Ivy refuses to see a male doctor. That'd be reason number one." Harley emphasised the point by raising one finger. Raising a second she continued. "Number two I'm sure has something to do with the fact that I understand compassion, something that you seem pretty unfamiliar with judging by how your last session with went with Victor Fries." Harley shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant fashion. "That'd be my guess."

Penelope clenched her fists, her knuckles white. "Tread carefully Quinzel. You might be popular with Leland and Arkham now but I'll be here waiting when you fall." The girls vindictive smile put no doubt in Harley's mind that she would be. Harley would just have to make sure she never gave old Penny the satisfaction.

Resisting the urge to blow raspberries at her colleague, Harleen collected herself and left her office. Leaving Penelope stood inside.

Harley always tried to see her patients on the day of their admittance to the Arkham. However, she'd never quite gone to see them this soon after processing. She'd read Poison Ivy's file but of course everyone who worked at Arkham had. As a result she knew Ivy's processing procedure was one of the more unorthodox options the asylum offered. Harleen couldn't help but be a little curious to meet the woman.

Prior to now, Harley had only seen the woman on the big screen. In all honesty she wasn't sure why she'd been given Ivy and without being told so by Joan Leland she was a little hesitant to go and introduce herself straight away.

"Miss Isley? May I call you Pamela?" A sweet, girly voice fluttered through the cold iron bars of Ivy's cell.

Ivy sat naked, her back pressed against cold concrete, knees tucked close to her chest. The eco-terrorist had just been through processing and they'd hosed her down without giving her the Arkham uniform. The guards at the asylum had realised early on that she never intended to wear it. Still, she had been weakened by the pesticides they had sprayed her with and was unable to conjure her vine leotard. It would have been nice to wear something.

 _This one's bold._ Poison Ivy thought scowling at her title. Just because she was a criminal didn't mean she lost the years of work that went into her PhD. The doctors at Arkham were far too keen to forget that little detail about her. It irked her.

"Welcome to Arkham."

 _Just who does this woman think she is? Welcome to Arkham. Pah! More like welcome back…_ She thought bitterly. Ivy didn't bother to raise her head to look at the young woman standing in front of her cell.

"I'm Dr. Quinzel, I'll be your psychiatrist."

 _Quinzel? Stupid name._

"I'm here to help you, but I hope, perhaps we could be friends?"

 _Friends?_

Well that deserved a peek. Ivy noticed the young woman's hand was extended into her cell. Had Ivy not been completely nude she might have taken advantage of the situation. Hell, she could still take advantage. Did this doctor not realise how dangerous she was? Ivy found herself hoping that this wasn't Quinzel's approach with all the inmates at Arkham. Killer Croc would have a field day with her…

"You do realise I can concentrate enough toxins in my hand to kill you in seconds, don't you?" Ivy retorted, her voice sharp but she couldn't keep the curiosity out of her tone.

"All friendships have a strong foundation of trust." Dr. Quinzel said with a smile, pushing her hand through the cell bars.

Ivy didn't have a chance to think before she was on her feet. Suddenly her hand was in the younger woman's one. The doctor's hand was warm and there was something else-

 **HAHAHAHAHAHA!**

Ivy's thoughts were interrupted by the piercing laughter that ricocheted down the corridor. The knifelike yet cloying sound that announced the arrival of Gotham's resident fowl clown. Poison Ivy released the doctor as if she'd been electrocuted.

The good doctor spun around at the disturbance. "Oh!" She exclaimed, baby blues widening in alarm.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights as none other than the Batman escorted the Joker in her direction. Little did she realise the Joker rather relished that expression on her face.

Ivy clenched her jaw, returning to the back wall of her cell to protect her modesty. Last thing she needed was the Joker leering at her. This time she kept her green eyes trained on Harleen.

"Pardon us Doctor." The Batman said gruffly, leading the Joker forward with steel determination. The clown pouted but there was a glint of something in his expression that looked rather like he'd won something.

Curious. Harley thought, fixated by the pair.

Wait? The Batman caught me and the Joker all within the same morning? Ivy fumed internally. The realisation made her furious. How could she have allowed herself to be caught so easily? The Batman was just a man but feats like this made him more than that. Oh, how she intended to ground him upon her next escape. Damn bat…

The caped crusader and the clown passed the two women without a second thought. At least Harley assumed they did as she watched them. That's when the Joker turned. His eyes locked with hers and time stopped.

"Yum." He whispered huskily, looking directly at her. The intensity of his gaze burned her in ways she had never felt before. Harley couldn't explain it.

"Oh." She whispered, still surprised but this time the sound soft. All she knew was that she needed to see him again.

Batman grabbed the Joker's arm roughly and shoved him forward as if to teach him a lesson. The clown stumbled but regained his balance just as easily as he'd lose it. He started to howl with laughter once more. The sound consumed the corridor. Little did Harley know it was to consume her too.

Ivy had watched the whole exchange with keen eyes. It seemed as though the Joker had marked her new doctor's card already. Great. She had seemed different. Ivy thought, dismissing the thoughts as quickly as they'd sprouted in her mind.

What was she thinking? She was Poison Ivy. Not some wretched patient longing for the approval and friendship of the Arkham staff. Ivy folded her arms bitterly. She was sore and feeling humiliated. A valid excuse for weakness and self-pity. No matter. She'd feel better tomorrow.

"I-I'll see you in session tomorrow Miss Isley." Harley spoke, quite obviously still distracted by what had happened.

"It's Dr. Isley. Doctor." Ivy snapped, unable to contain her displeasure.

"Yes, yes of course, my apologies doctor. I-I'll see you tomorrow." The blonde's response was hurried, her accent suddenly broader and more noticable. Was that Brooklyn? Ivy couldn't be certain.

Harley hurried away, her heels click-clacking down the corridor.

It was only later that she realised she missed the doctors warm hand in her own.


End file.
